The IRS reports that since 2013, over 800,000 people have received phone calls from people claiming to work for the IRS and demanding immediate tax payment. This has resulted in over $26 MILLION dollars collectively paid to scammers. Please be very careful as this tax season comes to a close since this is when these phone calls really begin to increase.
Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam.
The IRS will never:
- Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
- Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
- Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
- Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
- Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do: DO NOT GIVE OUT ANY INFORMATION & HANG UP IMMEDIATELY!
The IRS can be reached at 1-800-829-1040
5 comments
I have had two of these calls, each from different numbers but the same foreign voice. He says he is officer somebody and says there will be dire consequences if I don’t call him back. Once he said the IRS and the next time he didn’t say who he worked for. How stupid does he think I am? He doesn’t know that people from the IRS are not called Officer.
thanks Chris I will take to Sheriff’s meeting tomorrow.
Had someone try to scan my cards in Walmart on the corner of Powerline Rd and Altalntic Ave in Pompano Beach, FL 33069. The guy seamed like a creeper. He spotted my shopping cart and saw that I had a lot of stuff before walking up very close behind me and cutting everyone in line. I gave him a choice either back the F up or I’m going to knock him out. Whether he was or not I was just a bit messed up and it was right after I had changed my card for someone hacking them. Thank you for your amazing product and info on scams.